ISSN 1415-790X. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-790X1999000200002.This">http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-790X1999000200002.This</a> paper describes mortality trends for homicides, suicides, traffic accidents and other external causes in the entire population, adolescents, and youngsters, from 16 countries in the Region of the Americas.